Panel Submission Guidelines & Rules

Age Requirements

The minimum age requirement to hold any panel at Animethon 24 (“Animethon”) is sixteen (16) years of age. You must have reached this age by August 10, 2017.

If you or your co-panellist is hosting at MP rated panel, you must be eighteen (18) years of age or older by August 10, 2017.

Proof of age may be requested by the Panel Coordinator.

Panel Submission Process

The deadline for panel submissions will be Monday May 15, 2017 at 11:59pm MST. All panel submissions must be made using the Panel Submission Form posted on the Animethon 24 website. Submissions sent through any other means will not be considered. Prospective panellists must submit an overview of their panel and equipment requests for review through the Panel Submission Form.

Panels are considered by order of submission as well as their content. All panels must fall into one of the rating groups defined in Appendix A. Panellists must indicate on the Submission Form if their panel is intended for adults only (MP). Please ensure that detailed information is provided so that your submission may be properly assessed.

Should the Panel Coordinator feel that your panel should be rated differently, changes will be made accordingly and an email will be sent with the new rating included. Exceeding these guidelines (e.g. showing explicit sexual content) may result in the panel being cancelled at any time at the discretion of Animethon.

Submissions must disclose all relevant details about the panel and how the panel will be run. A panel submission confirmation email will be sent to the email provided in the submission form. It is your responsibility to ensure that all information provided is accurate and up-to-date. Should any changes arise to your availability, please email the Programming - Panels (live@animethon.org) as soon as possible so that your submission form can be properly updated.

Each panel has a maximum of two panellists (head-panellist and co-panellist). Names of each panellist must be finalized by Tuesday August 1, 2017. Any name changes must be emailed to the Panels Coordinator (live@animethon.org).

An acceptance, waiting list or rejection e-mail will be sent within ten (10) business days after the panel submission deadline. Animethon reserves the right to approve or deny a panel.

Panellists Check-In

All panellists must check in and pick up their passes at the pass pickup location no later than 1 hour prior to their initial panel start time. An e-mail regarding the pass pick-up location will be sent from the Panel Coordinator prior to Animethon dates.

Panellists participating in a MP-rated panel must provide government-issued photo identification to prove their identity and age.

Panellists not participating in a MP-rated panel must provide identification to reasonably demonstrate their identity and age. School and government issued identification may be accepted.

Please refer to Appendix B for a list of acceptable identification methods.

Panellists are responsible for starting their panels on time. Fifteen (15) minutes has been scheduled prior to your start time to set up and an additional fifteen (15) minutes has been scheduled after your end time for set-up and clean-up respectively. Should you require additional set-up and/or clean up time, please indicate this on your panel submission form.

Example: Panel is schedule for 6:00PM - 7:00PM. You are allowed to enter the panel room at 5:45PM to begin your panel set up. You have until 7:15PM to clean up and leave the room for the next panel.

A panellist pass will act the same as a regular event pass (event access on Friday, Saturday and Sunday). Both head-panellist and co-panellist will receive a complimentary pass.

Scheduling

The panel schedule is arranged to create a positive and fun experience for our attendees and other panellists. Animethon will attempt to accommodate panellists’ schedules, and try to avoid scheduling similar panels opposite each other, but can offer no guarantees. Please notify the Panel Coordinator of any concerns as quickly as possible to allow for changes before the event.

The event will attempt to schedule each panel into an appropriately-sized panel room. Please note, no room modifications (ex: moving of tables, chairs, audio & visual equipment) are allowed. Each room has been allocated the number of chairs equivalent to the room capacity allowed by Alberta Fire Codes. Removal or addition of chairs to the rooms are not allowed.

Please inform the Panel Coordinator if you want to host a panel but have other obligations to schedule around (if you are a volunteer, staff, vendor, artist alley etc.). Please include this on the submission form. The event cannot guarantee that we will be able to avoid scheduling your panel in a way that conflicts with other obligations, but will make our best efforts to do so. Should you decide that the time slot scheduled for your panel will not work and that you will no longer be running the panel, please notify the Panel Coordinator as soon as possible.

If your panel is accepted and is listed on the convention schedule, you are expected to run the panel. If you are no longer able to run a panel, you MUST notify us at least two weeks in advance with a valid reason. Failure to cancel a panel without a valid reason MAY result in a ban from running panels at future ASAPA events. (Exceptions may be made for emergencies and/or with reasonable notice before the scheduled panel start time.)

Panellist Conduct

Panellists will be expected to behave in an appropriate manner. Behaviour deemed inappropriate for panels where minors (those under 18 years of age) may attend can result in the termination of a panel in progress and/or the cancellation of a panel group’s future scheduled panel(s)).

Promoting discrimination of any form is NOT permitted. Panellists may express their personal opinions during their panels, but panellists may not attack the character of others.

The sale (or solicitation) of any goods, products or services on event grounds is not permitted without written consent from the event. Panellists may not offer food and/or drink to attendees at any time as part of their panel.

Prizes may be handed out during the panel. Prizes must be non-perishable items.

Clean-up after each panel is expected. Please be considerate to the next panellist that will be setting up after your panel.

Panellists will abide by the event’s General Policies. Failure to do so may be “cause” for cancellation of the panel and/or ejection from the event unless prior arrangements have been made (e.g. demonstration of weapons without the consent of the Programming Department and Safety Department).

Audio/Video

The event DOES NOT provide laptops, and not all rooms are equipped with audio and video functions. Please provide your own laptop, test it before the convention and submit any other requests for audio and video equipment, etc. in the appropriate box on the form.

Panellists may request any specialty equipment they need on the Panel Submission Form and we will do our best to acquire them. If it is not requested, it WILL NOT be made available to you at the convention. Equipment request is subject to availability. Please do NOT bring your own audio or visual equipment without the prior consent from the Programming and Tech Department.

Internet connection is NOT available in the panel rooms. You may bring your own Wi-Fi device, etc. should you wish. Panellists are expected to provide their own printed materials and other resources.

We can only provide VGA (and a limited number of HDMI) cables for projector connections to panellists using Windows-based products. Please provide your own adaptors for Mac-based products.

Disclaimer

Animethon reserves the right to approve, deny, reschedule the time and/or location of, or cancel any panel at any time as event staff deems fit. Animethon reserves the right to make changes to any of the above requirements at any time. Any such changes may be retroactive at the discretion of Animethon.

Animethon accepts no responsibility for the content of panels hosted by its attendees, nor does Animethon extend any form of legal protection to panellists. Panellists are wholly responsible for ensuring the legality and safety of the content presented in their panels. By submitting your application, you have agreed to abide by the rules and regulations posted above. You also have agreed to any policies put forth by Animethon.

Appendix A

AP – acceptable for all ages.

14P – suitable for those over the age of 14; may contain course language, brief mature subject matter.

MP – not suitable for those under the age of 18; may contain graphic or brutal violence, intense horror, and/or other disturbing content.

Government issued ID will be requested upon entry and/or re-entry into the room.

Under no circumstance, shall there be any explicit sexual content (e.g. intercourse) shown during the panel or event.

Violation of such will be grounds for immediate cancellation of said panel and revocation of panellist privileges.